Diagnostic instrument



O t- 3, 1939. A. F. DITTMER DIAGNOSTIC INSTRUMENT Filed Oct. 6, 1936 ARTHUR F. DITTMER INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 3, 1939 UNITED STATEd i ATENT OFFECE DIAGNOSTIC INSTRUMENT Application ()ctober 6, 1936, Serial No. 104,248

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to diagnostic instruments and more particularly to illuminated diagnostic instruments such as otoscopes, laryngoscopes or the like.

Heretofore, illuminated diagnostic instruments have been made with lamp bulbs of the prefocused type so that the illuminating system could be permanently and rigidly lined up to give the maximum illumination at the point of observation. Non-prefocused bulbs of the type commercially known as flashlight bulbs have not been widely used because of the difiiculty in aligning the, optical system with the irregularly positioned lamp filament. Since prefocused lamp bulbs are approximately ten times the cost of the flashlight bulbs, a system adaptable to the use of flashlight bulbs is of great economic advantage.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved form of illuminated diagnostic instrument. Another object is to provide such an instrument in which the source of light is an incandescent lamp of the type generally known in the art as a flashlight bulb. A further object of the invention is to provide an illuminated diagnostic instrument having an adiustable lens and reflector mounting. These and other objects and advantages reside in certain novel features of construction, arrangement and combination of parts as will hereinafter be more fully set forth and pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a diagnostic instrument head embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section of a modification.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

A preferred form of the present invention is illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 wherein it indicates the usual battery handle having an upstanding tubular neck ii Within which is the central contact l2 protected by insulation 93. A rheostat control button i is located on the side of the neck H as is usual in the art. lhe neck H has a cylindrical opening I5 for rotatably receiving the reduced end E6 of a lamp socket I! which is provided with a contact member [8 for engaging the central contact 82. This contact member i8 is covered with the usual insulating material indicated at !9. A lamp 225 of the non-prefocused type known commercially as a flashlight lamp, is threaded in the socket l1 and the socket can be fixed in desired position in the neck H by means of a lock screw 2i.

The instrument head consists of a tubular portion 22 with a cylindrical opening 23 for extending over the socket H and neck II, and a fiat plate 25 which extends outward at an angle to the upper end of the tubular portion 22. A diagnostic instrument holder 25 is secured to the outer end of the plate 24 for holding an aural speculum 26 or the like, and a guide 2? is secured to the bottom of the plate 24 for holding a spatula or the like, not shown.

A plate 28 is provided at its front end with a slot 29 for engaging the sides of a projection 30 extending upward from the plate 24 adjacent the holder 25 and is also provided with an enlarged opening 3! through which a screw 32 having an enlarged head 33 is threaded into the plate 24. A washer St on the screw 32 covers the opening 3i and, when the screw 32 is tightened, serves to clamp the plate 28 with reference to the plate 25. A prism housing 35 is secured at the rear end of the plate 28 above the outlet of the cylindrical opening 23 by a screw 35. A condensing lens 37 is mounted in the bottom of the prism housing 35 and a silvered right-angle prism 38 is mounted in the top of said housing for directing light from the lamp 29 along the axis of the speculum 26. An observation lens 39 is pivotally mounted on the rear side of the prism housing 35 where it can be swung up into observing position.

In adjusting the instrument of the present invention, the lamp bulb 253 is placed in the socket H and the lamp bulb 20, socket ii and neck portion ll of the battery handle Iii, are inserted into the cylindrical opening 23 of the instrument head until the lamp bulb 2i) is stopped by the projection 23 Within the cylindrical opening 23. The screw 32 is then loosened and the plate 28 moved about until the prism 37 directs the maximum light from the lamp 2% through the speculum 2%. It is quite noticeable when the maximum light intensity is attained and the screw 32 is then tightened locking the plate 28 and prism housing 35 in position. A screw 40, extending through the tubular portion 22 of the instrument head, is also then tightened and locks the socket ii and bulb 2!] relatively to the head. The lock screw 2| can then be loosed and the entire head, bulb and socket assembly removed from the battery handle ID without disturbing the adjustment. The projection 3t and slot 29 hold the plate 28 so that the prism is always directed in the general direction of the speculum 26, thus preventing maladjustment of the prism.

In the modification shown in Figs. 4 and 5, a plate 4| is fixedly secured to the plate 24 by a screw 42 and extends rearwardly in spaced parallel relation to the plate 24 and has at its rear end, above the opening 23, an enlarged aperture 43. The prism housing 35 which is smaller than the aperture 43, has, at its lower end, a knurled flange 44 which extends beyond the side edges of the plate 4|. A screw 45 extends through the plate 4| and is threaded into the plate 24 so that upon tightening the screw 45, the plate 4| is forced toward the plate 24 to clamp the flange 44 and prism housing 35 in adjusted position.

t The structure and adjustment of this modification is otherwise the same as that shown'in Figs. 1 to 3.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that I am able to attain the objects of my invention and provide a diagnostic instrument using a flashlight bulb and having an adjustable condensing and reflecting system for compensating for differences in the relative position of the lamp filament and base. Various modifications can, of course, be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising a lamp chamber having an opening, a lamp in said chamber a support extending from said chamber adjacent said opening, a diagnostic instrument carrier mountedadjacent theend of said support removediromsaid chamber, an apertured plate movably mounted on said support, a prism housing mounted on said plate in alignment with said-aperture, a prism mounted in said housing,'meansfor moving said plate until said prism .is directing the maximum amount of light from'said lamp toisaid instrument, and means for" maintaining said prism in approximate alignment with said. instrument during movement of said plate.

2. 'An endoscope comprising atubular member having an opening atone end, a lamp in said tubular member, :a plate extending at an angle from said one end of said tubular member, a projection extending upwardly from the outer end of said plate, a second plate slidably mounted on said first plate and .having a slot. adjacent edin said support, a lamp mounted in said socket,

a tubular member slidably extending over said socket and said support, means for limiting the extent of movement of said lamp into said member, means for clamping said socket relative to said member, a plate extending outward from the end of said member, a diagnostic instrument carrier at the outer end of said plate, a projection extending upward from said plate adjacent said carrier, a second plate, a housing carried adjacent one end of said second plate, a prism carried by the upper end of said housing, a condensing lens mounted at the lower end of said housing, said second plate having a slot at its other end for engaging said projection and having a large central opening, a screw extending through said opening and threaded into said first-named plate, means for moving the secondnamed plate to permit said prism to direct the maximum beam from said lamp toward said instrument and means actuated by said screw to lock said second plate in adjusted position.

4. A diagnostic instrument comprising a flat plate having an opening therethrough adjacent one end, means adjacent the other end for sup porting a speculum, a light source secured beneath said opening, a tubular member transversely slidably mounted on one end on said plate with its axis substantially perpendicular to said plate, a substantially right angle prism mounted in the upper end of said member for receiving light through said member and directing it substantially parallel to said plate, means for sliding said member on said plate over said opening until the maximum amount of light from said lamp is directed toward the supporting means for the speculum, and means for locking said member in adjusted position.

ARTHUR F. DITTMER. 

